


a lesson learned in time

by FitzisShitz



Series: "this breaks so many workplace regulations" [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brotherly Affection, Gen, Hospitals, Mentioned Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Nightmares, Touch-Starved, no beta we face god and walk backwards to hell like MEN, this is SOFT and TENDER
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28883469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FitzisShitz/pseuds/FitzisShitz
Summary: Since being adopted Tommy has learned a lot of things, some of them he learned before he was officially adopted (Phil always joked that he adopted Tommy the first time he met him, curled up in the hospital bed clinging to a stuffed cow one of the volunteers bought him). He learned that adults can be trusted, and most importantly he learned the ways someone can show their love._________________________________Learning to love is easy, learning to be loved is VERY MUCH harder than it seems.
Relationships: Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Series: "this breaks so many workplace regulations" [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119791
Comments: 8
Kudos: 191





	a lesson learned in time

**Author's Note:**

> hospital au haunts me forever <3  
> fic title from good riddance (time of our lives) by green day  
> chapter title from cecilia & the satellite by andrew mcmahon in the wilderness

Since being adopted Tommy has learned a lot of things, some of them he learned  _ before _ he was officially adopted (Phil always joked that he adopted Tommy the first time he met him, curled up in the hospital bed clinging to a stuffed cow one of the volunteers bought him). He learned that adults can be trusted, and most importantly he learned the ways someone can show their love. He knew of love languages before, pretty sure  _ everyone _ knows of them, but he never really thought of them and how they could apply to his life. People just didn't show affection to Tommy, that's just how it was, at least until Wilbur.

Wilbur was the first person to genuinely care about him, Tommy thinks. The first person to notice how whenever everyone left the room Tommy would get anxious, and with that the first person to  _ stay _ . If asked why Tommy is sure the asshole would reply with “why not?” because  _ of course _ he would, that's just the Sooty way.

  
  


Tommy genuinely believes that this is the worst part of being in the hospital, aside from the  _ being _ in a hospital part. He knows he needs the breathing treatments or he won’t feel better but he just hates this part of it. This part being everyone leaving him alone in the room. He has thighs to do so it isn’t a matter of being bored, no, it’s the fact that even though he knows they return he still panics thinking he’s alone forever.

Tommy let’s himself get settled into the chair with a tight grip on his cow plush (a gift from Sapnap after Tommy revealed to the older boy that he never really had a toy of his own), unsure of why he feels so uneasy today (the volunteer, Wilbur, keeps having to gently move his hands away from the mask Hbomb put on him for his treatment) and it isn’t until everyone starts leaving that he feels himself break. He doesn’t  _ want _ to tear up the way he does and the way his voice cracks when he says “wait” makes him feel sick but it does the job as Wilbur pauses in the doorway. Wilbur turns to look at the boy and lets out a soft noise at how he was looking at him.

“What’s wrong, Tommy?” Wilbur asks as he approaches the teen again, moving to crouch in front of him with a frown. In the short time he had known Tommy the teen had  _ never _ cried in front of him, always saying he was too much of a “big man” to do so.

“I just-,” Tommy cut himself off with a soft noise, moving a hand to rub his eyes. “I just, please don’t leave me?” The plea came off as a question and Wilbur felt his heart break. Of course,  _ of course  _ Tommy didn’t want to be left alone, Wilbur is pretty sure the kids' whole life being left alone had resulted in being  _ abandoned _ . This realization spurred Wilbur into action, quickly pulling one of the chairs over and taking a seat.   
  


“Of course, bud, all you had to do was ask,” Wilbur spoke carefully, keeping his voice low to try and soothe the teen. It seemed to work because Tommy slowly started to calm down, his grip on the plush loosening as his breathing slowed. Wilbur smiled softly at the teen and started to talk quietly about the trouble the other volunteers have been getting into, leaving out Bad yelling at them for their language, and how much he loves volunteering and meeting everyone he does. By the time Wilbur slows to a stop Tommy is fast asleep, curled to face him.

Wilbur smiles softly, carefully brushing a hand through Tommy’s hair before pulling out his phone. He had to tell Techno and Phil that he was missing lunch today, he was going to make sure Tommy didn’t wake up alone. Never going to be alone as long as Wilbur can help it.

  
  


Wilbur fell easily into giving affection, and Tommy fell into accepting it almost as easily (not being as surprised as he should have been when he got invited into  _ Wilber’s Secret Band _ much to Wilbur’s despair). It was easy to accept affection from Wilbur because he was so open with it, he gave it easily with side hugs to Quackity and high fives with Tubbo, he had the charisma and  _ love _ . He loved as easily as he laughed.

Techno, on the other hand, didn’t show his affection the way Wilbur did. He was more quiet with it, it seemed, preferring to take care of someone than be physical or spend long periods of time.

  
  


Tommy had been out of the hospital and living with Phil for a few weeks now, adjusting to being away from Tubbo and in the quiet of the house as opposed to the bustle of the hospital. Tommy was eating his breakfast before school when Phil came in to tell Tommy that he would be staying with Techno while Phil went out of town to a conference thing (Tommy didn’t pay much attention, too busy trying to keep his breathing in check and  _ not fucking panic _ ). Phil made sure to tell Tommy that if he wanted he would cancel the trip if Tommy wanted to, which Tommy replied with something along the lines of “fuck no, big man”.

Which is how Tommy ended up curled up in the guest bedroom in Techno’s cottage at 3 am, muffling his sobs into his hand. He had decided not to call Tubbo for their nightly routine of sleeping on call together, which apparently led to Tommy having a nightmare. He didn’t want to think about it, he wants his dad but his dad  _ (left him, abandoned him, doesn’t actually want him) _ is hours away from him. He was trying to be quiet because across the hall Techno is asleep and he didn’t want to inconvenience him and- his thoughts are cut off by a soft knock and Techno’s deep voice saying his name softly.

When he doesn’t reply the door is opened slightly, to reveal the tall form of Techno in his sleep clothes and braided hair. The elder took in his friend's crying son, noticing the shakiness of his hands and the indents on his cheeks where his nails dug in. He sighs softly, one of his hands moving to rub the bridge of his nose before he moves into the room fully. He settles on the foot of the bed, carefully not to disturb Tommy before he speaks.

“I don’t know,” he starts carefully, “what others have done to you.” Techno’s words are stunted but his voice seems to calm the boy down, his grip over his mouth loosening. He takes this as a go ahead to continue his awkward comfort. “But I do know that where you are now, who you are with now, is safe.” He purposely doesn’t look at Tommy as he hears him start shifting. He wasn’t fully expecting the weight of Tommy suddenly against his side but a small part of him (the part that secretly smiles whenever Wilbur brings up his games or Phil mentions his piano playing, the part that’s actually  _ fond _ of Tommy) was grateful for the contact.

Tommy adjusts himself so he’s against Techno’s side before he starts to speak, words rough. “I don’t like to be alone.” He starts simply, not trusting his voice fully. “I’m scared that next time I get left alone no one will come back.” Techno curls an arm around Tommy, humming for him to continue. “I usually fall asleep on call with Tubbo but since I’m staying here I thought I would. Y’know, be a Big Man.” He shrugs slightly, “I guess I was just a fucking idiot.”

“You aren’t an idiot.” Techno says, words firm. “You’re a kid, a traumatized kid at that. You’re allowed to have your comfort items,” at that he poked at the stuffed cow, (“ _ His name is Henry” the teen said, fingers carding through its short fur, “Sapnap bought him for me.” The kid’s smile was blinding and Techno now knew why Phil was so dedicated to adopting him, this kid deserves more kindness than the world has shown him so far _ ) “and you’re allowed to have those moments where you feel weak, but guess what?” 

“What?” Tommy asks, eyes drooping as he lets Techno’s voice soothe him.

“People will always be here for you, as long as you let us.” Techno lets himself run his fingers through Tommy’s hair, soothing the mess back from his forehead. “Alright?” Tommy nods and lets Techno maneuver him so he’s laying on the bed correctly and tucking him in.

“Can you,” Tommy starts quietly, “can you leave my door open?” He asks, smiling softly when Techno nods. “Night, Techie.”

“Goodnight, Tommy.”

**Author's Note:**

> hunt me down and kill me for sport, i only write soft shit and mockumentary style joakes


End file.
